Starting 5: Inside the 2023–24 NBA Season Through the Eyes of Five Stars
On October 9, 2024, Netflix debuted Starting 5, a 10-episode sports documentary series that immerses viewers in the 2023–24 NBA season through the personal and professional lives of five standout players: LeBron James, Jimmy Butler, Jayson Tatum, Anthony Edwards, and Domantas Sabonis. More than just a highlight reel, the series blends the drama of elite competition with intimate glimpses into each player’s off-court world, offering both basketball enthusiasts and casual viewers a layered portrait of modern NBA life.
The choice of athletes gives Starting 5 a balance of experience, personality, and narrative variety. LeBron James, in his 21st NBA season, serves as the series’ elder statesman. The show tracks his careful approach to health and performance, his focus on leadership, and the legacy considerations of a player who has spent more than two decades at the sport’s pinnacle. His segments often juxtapose the high-intensity environment of NBA arenas with quieter moments at home, highlighting the grounding role of family.
Jimmy Butler brings the series a different flavor — equal parts charisma, unpredictability, and competitiveness. Known for his playoff heroics and quirky personality, Butler’s storyline emphasizes the mental resilience required to maintain an edge in a league where stakes and scrutiny are relentless. Whether it’s training sessions, media interactions, or lighthearted personal moments, Butler’s arc provides humor alongside insight into the psychology of a relentless competitor.
Jayson Tatum’s journey revolves around ambition and expectation. As the face of the Boston Celtics, he carries the pressure of delivering a championship to a franchise with one of the NBA’s richest histories. The series captures his meticulous preparation, his balancing act between family life and professional demands, and the leadership responsibilities that come with being a young star on a contender.
Anthony Edwards injects youthful energy into Starting 5. The Minnesota Timberwolves guard is portrayed as a rising superstar — confident, driven, and unafraid of lofty comparisons, including those to Michael Jordan. The show follows his breakout moments, his rapid ascent into the league’s elite, and his charismatic interactions with teammates and fans. Edwards’ segments convey both the joy and the intensity of chasing greatness at the start of a career.
Rounding out the cast is Domantas Sabonis, whose storyline offers a steadier, less flashy perspective. As a cornerstone of the Sacramento Kings, Sabonis embodies consistency and quiet leadership. His episodes reveal the work ethic and attention to detail that define his game, along with the satisfaction — and challenges — of helping a team fight for relevance in a competitive Western Conference.
The series benefits from high-caliber production partners. Starting 5 is co-produced by UNINTERRUPTED (LeBron James’ athlete empowerment media company), Omaha Productions (founded by Peyton Manning), and Higher Ground Productions (founded by Barack and Michelle Obama). This combination brings credibility, access, and narrative skill, ensuring the series balances authenticity with storytelling polish. The collaboration allows for extensive behind-the-scenes footage, candid interviews, and a narrative flow that moves seamlessly between cities, locker rooms, and family kitchens.
Each episode weaves together the athletes’ experiences into thematic arcs rather than strictly chronological timelines. One episode might focus on handling pressure, cutting between Tatum’s playoff push, Butler’s leadership in Miami, and Sabonis’ role as a stabilizing force. Another might explore injury management, drawing parallels between LeBron’s veteran maintenance routines and Edwards’ youthful recovery speed. This structure keeps the pacing dynamic and the contrasts engaging.
Visually, Starting 5 combines cinematic slow-motion sequences of on-court action with raw, handheld footage from practices, workouts, and travel days. The contrast mirrors the dual realities of an NBA star’s life — the spectacle of game night versus the grind of preparation. Off-court segments humanize the players: LeBron at his son’s basketball games, Butler engaging in unexpected hobbies, Tatum sharing family dinners, Edwards joking with friends, and Sabonis spending quiet evenings with loved ones.
Reception to Starting 5 has been largely positive. Critics have praised the series for striking a balance between appealing to hardcore basketball fans and remaining accessible to newcomers. Sports outlets note that it avoids overly sanitizing the athletes’ lives, while lifestyle reviewers appreciate its focus on personal narratives. Ratings from major review aggregators place it in the “favorable” range, and some publications, like The Ringer and Parents.com, singled out the series for its emotional depth and relatability.
Beyond entertainment, Starting 5 also serves as a subtle commentary on the evolving nature of sports media. By granting such deep personal access, it reflects the NBA’s embrace of athlete-driven storytelling and the growing role of streaming platforms in shaping sports narratives. The involvement of production companies run by athletes and public figures further underscores the shift toward players controlling their own public images.
With the success of its first season, Netflix has already confirmed a Season 2 featuring a completely new roster: Jaylen Brown, Kevin Durant, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Tyrese Haliburton, and James Harden. This rotating cast approach suggests that Starting 5 may become a recurring anthology series, spotlighting different eras and personalities while maintaining its core formula.
In its debut season, Starting 5 delivers exactly what its title promises — a lineup of stories as compelling as any starting unit on the hardwood. By blending the spectacle of NBA basketball with an unvarnished look at the human beings behind the jerseys, it offers viewers a chance to see the game, and its stars, in a whole new light.
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